9. Waterfront Barge Museum

Next time you’re in Red Hook, Brooklyn, make a quick stop at the Waterfront Barge Museum. The museum is housed in the historic Lehigh Valley Railroad Barge #79, which was built in 1914 and owned by the railroad company. During that time, New York Harbor was the largest seaport in the world, and the Lehigh was one of thousands of barges that transported goods to and from the harbor. The barge was active until 1960, and in 1985, a man named David Sharpes bought it.

It opened in 1986 to educate the public and “expand waterfront access” in New York City. Before it was in Red Hook, there was a seven-year period where the museum was housed in a number of different locations, including Liberty State Park in Hoboken, New Jersey and South Street Seaport in New York City. Today people can visit the museum on Thursdays from 4-8 pm and Saturdays from 1-5 pm. Visit the Waterfront Museum’s website to learn more.